Blood test reveals hit-and-run suspect was 54 times the legal limit for marijuana

Blood test reveals hit-and-run suspect was 54 times the legal limit for marijuana

(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

LYNNWOOD, Wash. — A Lynnwood man was arrested for DUI after a blood test revealed he had more than 54 times the legal limit of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in his bloodstream.

THC is the active ingredient in marijuana.

On May 20, 2017, at 6:20 p.m., a Washington State Patrol trooper arrested a 53-year-old man for Driving Under the Influence.

Troopers originally pulled him over because witnesses reported seeing the car involved in a hit-and-run collision 20 minutes prior. The car crash occurred at 6:02 p.m. at 175th Street and I-5, near the King County/Snohomish County line.

A WSP trooper, along with a Lynnwood police officer, pulled over the man at 176th Street in Lynnwood. He showed signs of intoxication and was ultimately placed in custody for DUI.

Toxicology results, completed in July, revealed the man’s THC levels to be 270 nanograms. In Washington state, the legal limit for adults over 21 years old is five nanograms of THC.

In a release, the WSP says, excluding alcohol, marijuana continues to be one of the most frequently-occurring drug among drivers involved in deadly crashes. “By itself or in combinations with alcohol and other drugs, 349 drivers tested positive for marijuana in 2014.”

In 2015, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission says marijuana positive drivers were involved in 91 of the states 499 fatal crashes.